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My ten favorite 70s movies

Yes: I am going there! I am putting a stake in the ground and saying that these ten films are the ones from 1970s Hindi cinema that I would take with me to a deserted island* (*subject to change without notice).

Several I have only seen two or three times (they are hard to watch although excellent); others I watch every other month or so when I need the equivalent of my mommy’s lap. The main thing they have in common is that they make my dil go *squish* and make my aankhen sparkle (or spill over with tears), my ears perk up and my feet start moving. They engage me fully and I love them like I made them, despite—or perhaps even because of—their flaws. For me, eye candy and heartfelt emotion trump more “arty” considerations like a tight script and flawless direction almost every time. (You’ve been warned.)

Picking ten was hard enough, so I am not prioritizing them in order of preference. They are all TIED! Here they are—in alphabetical order:

Another two-for-one outing, with auto-racing and jewel theft against a Swiss background keeping us entertained through the first half, and India and the best lair ever through the second. Feroz is gorgeous, Mumu is gorgeous, Helen is gorgeous and a raft of scary-loony villains keep the plot ticking. Plus, one of Helen’s best songs of all time (and that is saying something) takes place in said lair. I think a simple look at her getup sums up the entire movie experience nicely.

Quite simply the most heart-stoppingly romantic film ever made, with one of the most romantic songs (“Pal Pal Dil Ke Paas”) ever written, in any language. Dharmendra and Rakhee are beyond beautiful, their blossoming love story thwarted by misunderstandings, mad science and “international” villainy. I have never rooted for two people to find their way back to each other as I do for this pair. And when they do—the sparks will almost set your living room on fire! If you love romance, you will melt melt melt into a puddle. I do, every time.

Let alone a favorite 70s film, I would put this on a list of best movies of all time, made by anyone. It’s a tragic masterpiece, written by Salim-Javed and justifiably renowned for its story and dialogues; even subtitled, their power comes through…

…almost.

It is also an acting tour-de-force: Amitabh Bachchan and Shashi Kapoor will tear you apart as brothers unable to reconcile their shared but very different pasts. It’s gritty, tough, sad, and hard to watch a great deal of the time, but it is riveting and near-perfect, in my opinion.

If this film didn’t inspire Manmohan Desai as he scaled the heights of the masala genre, I would be surprised. A separated family, a Robin-Hood type hero, and one of the most hilarious Masala Death Traps ever: spinning blades atop wobbly candy-striped poles fail to actually endanger Dharmendra and Pran as our villainous trio look on, cold beer in hand, from their plastic cafe table and chairs complete with umbrella.

Plus, Dharmendra and Hema strike sparks off each other in a wonderful display of their famous chemistry. It is too much fun and holds a special place in my heart, being one of my early forays into the wacky world of 70s cinema.

Sumptuously photographed in Rajasthan, this is a grim tale which condemns the cycle of violence that a culture of vengeance and machismo births. Very unusual for its time, it was a flop; Sunil Dutt lost a lot of money in the venture, but it’s by far his finest film as a producer-director and one of his finest as an actor. Amitabh Bachchan very ably plays a small but key character in one of his first roles and Waheeda is simply marvellous. It is a beautiful, powerful, tragic film (part of the tragedy is that the only dvd available is missing the key scene which leads to the climax) and it is well worth watching. The songs by Jaidev are lovely and include a qawwali where Sanjay Dutt makes his first screen appearance at the age of twelve.

This movie is all about the charm of its performers and the awesome music by Panchamda. A Cinderella/twins-separated-at-birth story with Hema as the sweet, wealthy (and put-upon) Seeta and feisty village girl Geeta who comes to Seeta’s rescue unknowingly. There is nothing not to love, except the print (someone needs to restore this one, and pronto).

This is one of my favorite Rajesh films. He and Rakhee look gorgeous together and positively sizzle in a rain song that I adore, and it’s a wonderful fairy tale with engaging and real characters. Plus, Rajesh is just as charming and handsome as ever he was (and that too is saying something)…Yummy!

I don’t think I can say anything about this that hasn’t already been said. Another masterpiece of story-telling from writers Salim-Javed, with great performances and skillful direction. If you have not read Anupama Chopra’s incredible book “Sholay: the Making of a Classic” you really should. Besides for Saadat Hasan Manto’s “Stars from Another Sky” and Nasreen Munni Kabir’s “Lata Mangeshkar…In Her Own Voice” you will never read a more entertaining, insightful and tastefully “gossipy” book than this.

Gemma loves Haathi Mere Saathi for the fellow animals, and I like it very much but it’s not a fave…and I love the music from Caravan but find the story a bit dull. Haven’t seen Mausam or Aandhi yet, Trishul is good, Golmaal too…hated Chhoti Si Baat and Rajnigandha (BO-RING).

Who said there would be no wine? I would just drown myself if there were no wine. And yes to the Blackmail comment :) But variety is the masala of life, and Deewaar provides a good counterpoint to all that romance and lunacy. I would watch it once for every ten times I watched the others (well, Reshma Aur Shera is in the same category as Deewaar).

LOL at equivalent of Mommy’s lap, i know the feeling.I enjoyed reading through your list, i could never make one like this, i’m way too greedy. Of the whole lot, i’ve seen about five and would hopefully get round to seeing the others sometime soon. Totally love your screencap of Helen, its Tribal Chic at its best

Nice list with good explanations. Personally, I’d have to go more on the Hrishikesh Mukherjee end with Golmaal, Mili, Chupke Chupke in place of a couple of yours but you have some gems there. I also like Yadon Ki Baaraat and Hum Kisise Kum Nahin. You might sense a pattern here (I really like RD and own every one of his albums).

I very much like Hrishikesh Mukherjee’s films: Mili is one of my favorites too and almost made it to the list. I think that the humor inherent in his use of language just goes too much over my head a lot of the time though, I know that’s true of Chupke Chupke which I really enjoyed but missed on the “funny” in large part.

Also really like Yaadon Ki Baaraat and HKKN (wrote that one up here I think)…YKB almost was on the list too, because I watch that one over and over. Loafer too!

I like Sharmilee but I can’t count it as a favorite since the “bad” girl (ie the one with modern “western” values) is ME and she should be the one to get Shashi!!!!! (or at least Ranjeet!) :)

Blackmail is just the best film ever. Ever. Ever…I would have put more Vijay Anand on here too if I hadn’t run out of numbers. Johnny Mera Naam, Tere Mere Sapne, Bullet, Chhupa Rustam…love them love them.

OMG! And I was pretty much familiar with ‘the Best of 70s’. (Read Gulzar, Basu Chatterjee and Hrishi da..)
Okay Okay, I know you aren’t really fond of Basu Da. but still ;)
And No Anand?? How can it miss any top-10 list!! You broke my heart there :(

Still, Deewaar and Sholay will definitely feature on my list too. Seeta aur Geeta is another dear favourite.
But I hadn’t really heard many great things about Apna Desh (though Duniya mein Logo ko is legendary by now!), Shehzada or Apradh. And hope to catch up on Reshma ka Shera soon.

I really love Anand (and love Hrishikesh Mukherjee, see one of my comments above). But I just went with the ones that I have in a corner of my bookshelf, where I can reach them easily over and over again :) And these were them!

Apna Desh is just so really loony. Duniya Mein Logon Ko is legendary with good reason, but all the songs in it are good and Rajesh-Mumtaz rock :)

Reshma Aur Shera is one of the most underappreciated films out there, in my opinion. It’s very powerful, and Waheeda is amazing in it.

OMG! And I thought I was pretty much familiar with ‘the Best of 70s’. (Read Gulzar, Basu Chatterjee and Hrishi da..)
Okay Okay, I know you aren’t really fond of Basu Da. but still ;)
And No Anand?? How can it miss any top-10 list!! You broke my heart there :(

Still, Deewaar and Sholay will definitely feature on my list too. Seeta aur Geeta is another dear favourite.
But I hadn’t really heard many great things about Apna Desh (though Duniya mein Logo ko is legendary by now!), Shehzada or Apradh. And hope to catch up on Reshma ka Shera soon.

Haathi Mere Saathi was an international movie that gotten great receptions in Asia, Eastern Europe, USSR, and Latin America, but it is not the happy go lucky type that Memsaab list. It surely be on someone else list, but not Memsaab’s. We got to respect that.

I am surprise that Chailla Babu is not on her list? or the colorful fashion parade Ajanabee.?

I’d just appropriate your list. Completely. Except for ‘Apna Desh’. I know I’ve seen it, but can’t remember much of it, and need to see it again. And ‘Shehzaada’ which I’d never ever heard of until now. Guess what I’m doing the next couple of days? :)

Okay… there are a few here I haven’t got around to seeing yet (includingApna Desh, Reshma aur Shera and Apradh) – but hey, there’s the fabulous Blackmail on your list! I’d take that film with me on a desert island too! Also, as I mentioned over at bollyviewer’s, Chupke Chupke, Golmaal, Inkaar and Majboor.

I have seen all these movies – and with the exception of Reshma Aur Shera, remember them fairly well. I saw RAS as a very young boy and have completely forgotten the story.

Agree with almost all of them – and I can understand why you do not really enjoy Basu Chatterjee movies (Chhoti Si Baat types) much. They are far removed from glitz and glamour – and not everybody digs Indian attempt at comedy. Fair enough. A lot of it is exaggerated anyway.

As for me, I love these movies (as do many Indians) but that is because I can (or at least could, in my schooldays) identify with the helpless, naive, does-not-know-how-to-approach-a-girl Amol Palekar. :-) What am I talking ? I am still as hopeless now as I was then. :-)

I think my top-10 would include some more Rajesh. Maybe Dushman, Aan Milo Sajna, Roti…not for the storyline or anything but just for Rajesh, Mumu, Asha Parekh.

I would also have Caravan – I can watch this movie any number of times.
And I cannot say that for any other Jeetendra movie. :-)

Of Amitabh movies of the decade, I liked Majboor, Trishul, AAA and Don. And of course Deewar and Sholay.

Got to give you credit for coming up with a top-10 list at all. I just cannot come up with one.

P.S : If you want to stay away from the big names and dip your feet in some of the lesser-known movies of the decade (and yet not be Basu Chatterjee-d or Gulzar-ed) you may want to try Rafoo Chakkar or Do Jhoot.

I don’t think it’s so much that I don’t like Indian comedy as much as I often don’t “get” it. A lot of it seems very regional, and language-culture based (naturally enough) and it doesn’t translate for me. I admit that Basu Chatterjee’s films are too slow for me too. I never liked Merchant-Ivory films for the same reason (Shyam Benegal too). I know—it’s heresy!!!

MGMD almost made it to the list as well. I love that film. So did Don. There’s too much goodness to choose from!

I just got Rafoo Chakkar based on Beth’s review, and can’t wait to see it. Will look for Do Jhoot!

Not liking Merchant-Ivory a heresy ? Or Shyam Benegal for that matter ? Not a heresy at all. I am totally with you on this.

M-I were too slow and arty for me too. So was Benegal.

I used to run miles from such “art” movies as a boy. I remember seeing Ankur and Nishant at that time and not understanding what was going on.

I saw these very same movies recently again and found them OK. But I still did not get all the major excitement about such movies. The stories were pretty ordinary, though the direction was probably of high-quality. OK, so they show rural India and social practices that Indians should not be particularly proud of. So ? It is not like this is new to Indians, it is not like the movie challenges anything, it is not like the movie even suggests or recommends anything.

I remember Nargis Dutt (when she was a member of Parliament, not too long before her death) criticizing “art” movies for always showing the bad side of India. She was criticized for this, for not accepting reality. Rubbish. Nargis was very grounded and said it as she saw it. Later on, Naseeruddin Shah (and even Smita Patil) would say much the same thing.

If an “art” movie comes up with a strong message I can still understand. If it is there just as a piece of art, fine. It will have its followers (to each his own, I always say) – I may even watch it and appreciate it as a piece of art – but I am not going to go ga-ga over it.

Basu Chatterjee does not fall in this category. His movies were totally timepass, sweet movies made usually without the biggest stars of the time. But you are right – they were contextual and one would be able to appreciate them better if one understood the context. e.g. Chhoti Si Baat has a lot of Bombay day-to-day scenes, listening to cricket commentary in the office and stuff like that. :-) All this makes the movie endearing for locals but may not have quite the same impact for others.

Looking at the overflow of good 1970s movies, I wish some of them had been made in the 1980s. At least that way we could have come up with 10 decent 1980s movies. :-)

I might actually surprise people with my 80s film choices…there were some very good “art” movies made then. Two of the funniest films I have ever seen were made then, Chashme Buddoor and Jaane Bhi Do Yaaron.

But yes, it’s a much slimmer pickings as a decade than the 70s and earlier are.

Hmm…Chashme Baddoor, Jaane Bhi Do Yaaron…two of my all-time favourite movies. I don’t consider them “art” movies. An art movie is one where milk is shown boiling in a pot on a slow flame for 5 minutes..you are shown all those 5 minutes…you wait and wait..then the milk overflows. That is a metaphor for “the situation has now gone out of control…there is something going to happen now in the story”…and you wait. Again.

memsaab, one serious movie you will like is Shashi Kapoor’s Kalyug direcgted by Shyam Benegal or Govind Nihalini (can’t remember who). If you watch Bhumika, you will really like Benegal. Pls do give it a try esp for a fab performance by Smita Patil and Amrish Puri (this was his pre mugambo days)

Apna Desh was super hit movie of 1972 a great entertainer. It has comedy, action, romance and to top it all fantastic music by R D Burman. The issues raised in the movie were true then and are still ruining our county. The movie had excellent support from Mumtaj, Omprakash, Madan Puri, Kanhaiyalall, Manmohan Krishna and Jagdeep. And Super Star Rajesh Khanna was of course there right on top. Its a really uncommon song sequence on the part of Super Rajesh Khanna from his Silver Jubilee Hit Film Apna Desh. With a label of non-dancer star, he performed in this most fast track song sequence superbly, ofcourse along with the equal ability on the part of Mumtaz.

I had no idea you liked Rajesh Khanna so much! Did you write letters in blood to him in past life or something? ;)

Sorry, that was a bit tasteless. Anyway, I realized I really have to watch Blackmail now, I think it was Bollyviewer from Old is Gold who put it on her best of list yesterday. And Reshma aur Shera sounds really interesting.

Love the cheating at the end. I could probably do this list because I’ve only seen under 30 70’s films. But I still don’t want to. :)

Am totally on board with the Shehzada love and Blackmail and Apna Desh and Sholay. But *gasp*, haven’t seen ANY of the others, not even Deewar! What kind of a B’wood oldies aficianado does that make me? A fake is what.

Am glad to see other Rajesh fans here. I have always been a massive Rajesh fan. So much so that I hated it when people began saying that Rajesh was “gone” and it was now Amitabh. Some were even talking about Shatru.

I watched Sholay for the first time only in 1983. And Deewar for the first time only in 1992. This was one way of supporting Rajesh – as if to say, I will not watch those superhit movies that made your competitor take over your #1 position.

I know it sounds so silly but all of us have our quirks. :-)

Not that I have anything against Amitabh but I loved Rajesh’s romantic movies, heroines, songs et al. Amitabh came in with his “angry young man” image and spoilt it all for me.

Then I saw AAA, I saw Imaan Dharam, I saw Trishul – and gradually Amitabh began growing on me. I sort of grudgingly accepted that there was life after Rajesh. :-)

Raja you can stalk Rajesh with us too. He might feel safer with you around ;-)

I love Amitabh too. He made some great films. I feel no need to choose but that’s probably a function of age more than anything else. I remember arguing ferociously with my brother as a teenager over music.

You’d think so, right? But apparently I am stupider than I used to think…I can catch the gist of things, but it’s still very hard for me to follow a film with any depth of understanding without subtitles (and depending on the quality even with them sometimes). One of the things I would do in life if I didn’t have to worry about money would be to come and live in India for a year and really learn to speak Hindi. Where is my sugar daddy, where? ;-)

Well, first of all a confession. When I saw the title of the article and then the screen shot with the hand, I was all ready to read it with my head shaking and *chuck*ing !

But hey, you have nearly the same list of fav 70s list film as I would have!!!!
It moved me to tears!
I am already to hug you with tears in my eyes like Dharam does it in his inimitable style, as he would hug his long-lost-now-found sister!
The only thing that stops me from doing it is the fate which normally awaits sisters in general in Hindi cinema! ;-)

Awwwwww…and LOL! I am glad you noticed the opening SS. It seemed somehow appropriate although I’m not sure I could explain why in words! I think you understand it perfectly somehow. *Hugs right back*—I am not afraid of Ranjeet and his ilk! I’m no shrinking cinema-bahen! :D

heartily agree memsaab. heartily agree. I’ve just scanned the list and it was nice to see RKs handsome face show up. I’m surprised you didn’t put your Roti here. I too see these movies on a regular basis–they run in the background while I am doing boring computer work. Needless to say, I am very unproductive.

/offtopic Off topic but an early 70s movie all the same is Phagun. I saw it yesterday and can’t recommend it enough. It’s got sensitive Dharmendra, Waheeda, Jaya–it’s all good. For some reason it really touched a chord and Hindi movies rarely do that for me. Perhaps it was Waheeda waiting all those years … I cried. Good for the sinuses. /end offtopic

LOL about your #10: I can totally identify with you! (Although not about 70s films, about which I remain woefully uneducated through experience.) I have Blackmail creeping up my queue, and I can’t wait!

Hi,
Your choice is great and I agree iwth most of them.
The feedback from your `fans’, may want you to increase your list to 20, if so please include, `Kabhie Kabhi’ and Shammi’s `Aandaz’ with
Rajesh Khanna. Can’t disappoint Shammi Kappor – one of his best.

I was sad not to include Shammi here and thought about Andaz, because I do really like it and he was great in it. So it would be in my top 20 for sure. I don’t remember liking Kabhi Kabhi very much though…the poetry is lost on me and it is too weepy and sacrificing. Songs are nice though :-)

I love this list! Apna Desh bring back lots of childhood memories for me. I don’t remember the movie but we all know THE song.

One 70s movie I would add to the list is Ishq Par Zor Nahin with Sadhana and Dharmendra. I loved Sadhana in this movie but the songs are unfortettable. In my opinion the most romantic song ever, in any language, is Yeh Dil Deewana Hai from this movie.

Because Amar Akbar Anthony was one of the very first Hindi films I saw, and it blew my mind so completely that I have to have more, more, more…I’m still not satisfied!…it has to be my top 70s movie. Even though I love Don and Sholay and have watched them almost as many times. Like a motherless baby goose looking for a parent, I imprinted on Amitabh, and nobody else (in the 70s) will do.

I found/find AAA disappointing at the end. The resolution/reunions falls flat, and after the superb build-up and investment I am left feeling let down. It is a wonderfully entertaining film but it lost me emotionally at the end. What can I say….*ducks*…

Couldn’t stand the rest (excepting some of the Music), too much stupidity all round, just watching stuff like that used to turn me into “angry young woman”, but we have been over that before, memsaab:))

I love Zanjeer too, and also Zameer. It’s a little easier from a distance to vary the diet of these films—I also really love Mili, Koshish, Bawarchi, Piya Ka Ghar. But my taste in “over and over” obviously runs more to the crazy :) I wouldn’t want to ONLY watch films like that, but it is a decided preference most of the time.

I can understand you enjoying them.
Anyway, I think films reflect the country in a way, it seemed that in the 60s there was a still a choice towards which road we might take, and in the 70s it definitely went the whole hog down one path, despite the some small voices of sanity saying, think about it !!

Superb, i have been searching for a blog that provides first rate writing concerning bollywood. I love classic bollywood and hate the fact that bollywood is changing and becoming hollywood. The chorography, the unexperimental direction, the over the top dramatic acting, perfect combination melodrama, the music and the good old cliche pulp story line served with a pinch of freshness.
we can use independent and social commentary cinema like 3 idiots, but people need to remember like my asian friends tell me, i like the colors, the singing and the dancing and the beautiful women, with a entertaining happy ending love story. Musicals. True Bollywood identity is this. The Sholays and the dilwale dhulania’s, the
A movie like Musafir, Kaante, or the recent 3 idiots and my name is khan is alternative cinema not bollywood.
Your blog is making people like me and others realise the essence of bollywood, the classics when things used to be well, ‘Filmi’
your helen list is also a true reminder of what ‘An item used o be and what an icon such as the above and beyond just an item girl should be’
thanks

Ustadjee, Hindi films from this era and earlier are a class unto themselves…I guess they don’t suit everyone, but they seem to me to have been made with my sensibilities in mind :) I remember really liking Musafir (although I haven’t seen Kaante because that genre I can only see in limited quantities), but I would say that 3 Idiots classifies as old-style Hindi cinema rather than alternative. I love Raju Hirani’s films particularly because they have that same quality of fun, melodrama, humor…they have HEART and SOUL. Raju himself loves old Bollywood :)

As I often say here (but it’s my blog so I can repeat myself ad nauseum if I want): variety is the masala of life :D And one of the best things about blogging is finding other like-minded people—I am very glad you enjoy mine :)

I think a lot about the subject of “fluff” versus “serious” cinema because there is a great misconception out there that Hindi films are just fluff…I am constantly having to explain to people who have never seen a Hindi movie, or have just seen one or two (often bad ones) that there is a lot of serious content in many of these films. I was initially drawn to “Bollywood” films for the brightness and beauty of them but I have stayed because there is plenty of substance there too. One cannot exist only on candy after all! :) Of course for me there is the added interest of discovering a world, a culture, that is completely different from my own but even without that there is plenty to think about….and even when not, lots of entertainment (a world with NO candy is not a world I want to live in either) :)

In Blackmail , the usual popular and more noticed song is – Pal Pal Dil Ke Paas, but one song which is even more passionately feely romantic was – MILE DO BADAN…the song is more psychologically complex, has sensuality, passion, depth, longing, sweet pain of love, union everything in it…and DHARMENDRA GAVE SOME REALLY GREAT EXPRESSIONS SUITING THE SONG PERFECTLY AND INCREASING THE VISUAL APPEAL TEN FOLD and made our breathings heavy with romantic sensations…it was thirsty, passionate, loving, longing and matured at same time just like the great lines of the song…(all this while doing nothing, only lying there in a dangerous situation, close by, dharmendra holding closely the a foot of Rakhi…)!!

Read my review of Blackmail—I swoon as you do over that song! :D It is the most sensual song ever! I still like Pal Pal Dil Ke Paas better, but they are both seriously wonderful :) And the songs combined with Dharmendra’s and Rakhee’s beauty make it a film like no other!

Dharmendra is my all time favourite and I am glad to see quite a few movies of his listed here. Pratiggya (1975) is also another movie which would be in my favourites. Dharmendra successfully established himself in the comedy genre.

If you have not already published your 60s favourites, do so as I am keen to read it up.

@Shashi:
Have you watched Kanb Kyoon aur Kahaan in 1968-69 release? It is a beauty of murder Mystery and he plays a dashing CID Inspector with love interest as Babita who actually manages to look cute in this flick.
A murder…Dead body in coffin…Things that go bump in the night… all driving the hapless heroine insane and the CID go round in circles..Manages to hold viewer interest till last scene..If you havens seen it, the time is NOW!

Hi Nagesh, Yes, I’ve seen Kab? Kyon aur Kahan (1970) since I happen to be a big Dharmendra fan myself. He was the one star who has withstood the onslaught of so many superstars – Shammi, Rajendra, Rajesh and Amitabh.

I have read somewhere that he was one of the three Ds – the other two being Dilip Kumar and Dev Anand – who was in demand between 1969-71 when Rajesh Khanna was at his peak. The demand of Shashi Kapoor, Jeetendra, Sanjay Khan and so many other heroes just dwindled to almost nothing during this period. So, that makes it all the more special for me.

Of course, if Dharmendra had made his debut as a leading man in the 50s, I am sure he would been able to hold his own against the then top trio – Dilip, Raj and Dev.

Incidentally 1970 happened to be many firsts for Dharmendra with regard to his heroines. He acted opposite so many leading ladies for the first time this year. Babita, Sadhana, Rakhee (her debut) and finally….you guessed it – Hema Malini !